I've Got You
by ClearSkies-L
Summary: Austin has a secret. TRIGGER WARNING mentions of child abuse...could be finished, but an epilogue is possible.


**This is a little different than all the other fics I have and I'm sorry for not updating my other story, but this idea has been stuck in my head forever and it's been bugging me and I just had to put this out there. I think it's so important that people realize that men aren't always the abusive ones in a relationship.**

 **That being said, Mimi's character is so OOC in this story it's crazy.**

 **If these kind of stories are not for you I'd advise you not to read this.**

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He's the epitome of happiness. His energy is infectious, and he loves making everyone laugh. He's like the sun(even if his last name is Moon), with boundless energy and a radiant smile.

Whenever he is tired or upset or disappointed, it's fairly easy to tell, at least for Ally. She has always understood him, even when he himself cannot explain his thoughts and feelings in an effective way.

But Austin Moon is full of surprises.

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"I can't believe that you'd do something like this you are so irrespons-"

"I heard you the first time Mimi, and I'm telling you now, _it's not a big_ -"

"- _not a big deal_ , Mike? How many times have I heard that today? Honestly sometimes I feel like I'm talking to a five year old-"

"Me? You're the one acting like a colossal bi-"

" _Don't you dare finish_ -"

Austin sighs and slams his textbook closed. He searches for his headphones, so he can plug them in and tune them out. At this point, he doesn't even care that they are at it again. He knows that by morning they will reconcile, only to start arguing again a few days later.

Nobody knows of course, not even Dez, but this is normal, right? Parents bicker all the time. Feeling as though that thought is justification, he ignores the nagging feeling in the back of his mind that tells him otherwise.

Instead, he shuts his eyes and waits.

And waits.

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The next morning, he is famished. Still drowsy, it occurs to him that he didn't really eat anything for dinner. Austin cautiously tiptoes down the stairs, as he has no idea whether or not his parents are still mad at each other. Instead, he opts to warm up some frozen pancakes, and silently makes his way to school.

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"Austin!"

He knows who is calling him before he sees her. His face breaks out into a grin out of sheer joy as he turns around to greet her.

"Hey Ally!" His arms wrap around her waist, while hers encircle his shoulders. Austin catches a whiff of her strawberry scented conditioner before pulling away. "How was your weekend?"

"Just doing homework I guess, and hanging out with Trish. What about you? Did you do anything interesting this weekend?"

"Well...I ate pancakes...that counts right?" He smirks.

Ally rolls her eyes. "Austin, you eat pancakes almost everyday, I wouldn't call that as something interesting. But, if that is the highlight of your weekend..." her mouth curls up in a smug grin "...I guess I can officially say that you have no life whatsoever."

Of course, they both know that is far from the truth.

"Whatever you say, Alls."

"HIDE ME!"

Dez sprints up to Austin and Ally, notably without Trish. He cowers behind the both of them, while a livid Trish with bright green hair storms up to them. Austin bursts out into a fit of giggles. Ally tries to keep her composure.

"LOOK AT WHAT THIS DOOFUS DID!" Trish screams, with an almost murderous glint in her eyes. "DEZ FIX THIS!" Several people walk by and give a mere side glance as they are used to Trish's screaming by now.

"I _told_ you, it should wash away when you take shower..." Dez trails off. Trish visibly relaxes. All is well until Dez opens his mouth again. "...hopefully."

"WAIT WHAT?"

He's already running for his life, Trish hot on his trail.

Austin chuckles while Ally sighs, exasperated.

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He walks home feeling on top of the world. He killed that math test he studied for with Ally for three days straight. He actually could understand the questions for once in his life, and practically leapt for joy when he got the test back and saw that he got a hundred percent.

He walks onto the porch and fishes for his keys and-

"-GOD I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU. FIRST YESTERDAY AND NOW THIS?"

"Mimi, I don't even _know_ what I did wrong this time-"

"YOU FORGOT TO CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU TO PUT YOUR SHIT AWAY? THIS HOUSE ISN'T YOUR PERSONAL TRASH CAN."

"Mimi, I'll put it away. _Please_ , just relax-"

He hears, he fears, the sound of someone being slapped. His stomach lurches and his blood runs cold. It's never been this bad. He's never heard his mother outright scream at his father like that for something this before. I mean, he knew his mother was a clean freak but this...

He reaches for the door handle and quietly pushes the door open, steps in, and closes. Mike is sitting on the ottoman, putting his shoes on. The first thing he notices though, is the side of his face, which has a hand shaped imprint on it. Austin doesn't know what to do. Should he say anything? Where is he going? Is he leaving? When will he be coming back?

As Mike leaves he murmurs to Austin, "I'm going out for a bit to let your mother cool down. I'll be at the store, alright? Just please don't provoke her or do anything to anger her." Mike gives his son's shoulder a reassuring squeeze and heads off. Austin watches as his car drives away. He takes off his shoes and heads upstairs, careful not to make a sound. Austin's heart is hammering in his chest, and for the first time in life, he feels like he knows what fear really is.

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A few days afterward, nothing happens. It's almost eerie, like the silence after a storm. On Saturday morning, Austin wakes up early and enthusiastic to meet up with Ally to work on some songs for his new album. He has some cereal(not pancakes, there's not nearly enough time for that) and he forgets to put the milk back in the fridge, and he is halfway out the door when Mimi calls him into the kitchen.

"What the fuck is this?" she spits out. Austin flinches, he's not used to his mom swearing at all. He stares at her, unsure of what to do and petrified. What happens next, he's not sure of, the only thing he is aware of is the stinging sensation on his cheek and the glare of his mom boring holes into his head. "I asked you a question, give me an answer. What is the milk doing outside of the fridge?!"

"I..I don't know. I'm sorry." He gulps, and reaches out to put it away hastily. Mimi walks away, and Austin runs to the door. He runs all the way to Sonic Boom, his cheek still stinging and his heart still in his throat. He runs into the practice room, and when Ally asks why he looks so pale, he lies and tells her that he didn't get enough sleep because how in the world is he supposed to tell her the truth?

And then they start playing and for a while, Austin forgets everything and focusses on the music and her and he's so happy and this is what home feels like.

He lets the music take him away.

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"Are you okay, Austin?" Ally questions as she does the inventory for Sonic Boom.

 _No, I'm not okay. I feel like shit._ "Yeah, why?"

"It's just you look more tired than usual..." he looks into her eyes, unmistakably full of concern. His heart leaps. At least someone notices. Someone cares.

"Yeah, I'm fine." _Lies, lies, lies._ "I'm just really stressed about the science unit test."

Ally seems convinced and goes on about her tasks. Austin sighs. It's funny how easily he could blame the reason for his sleeplessness on something so simple when really he was up most the time listening to his mom's aggressive rants about how she's so unlucky, about how she's stuck with the worst husband ever. He tuned out after a while, but he's pretty sure his mom said a load of crap about him too. About how he's 'just like his father' about how he can't do better. About how it's all his fault that she's so stressed out, and the sad part is, he starts believing it.

At this point, he thinks, it can't get any worse.

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He shouldn't have jinxed it.

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He wishes his dad was here. He wishes he didn't have to go to that stupid convention. Or, rather, he wishes his mother went with him.

Austin does not understand what he did wrong. All he did was come a little late from a recording session because he stopped to get a coffee with Ally. It was a Saturday morning and Jimmy wanted to be finished before ten, so they started at seven in the morning. He told his mother he'd be back at ten and instead came back at eleven.

And now, she's yelling at him, as if he'd committed some horrible crime.

"You're just like your father! He always lies to me! Are you going to start doing the same with me? Where were you?" she screeches.

At this point, anger and exasperation overtake him. He's tired of being spoken to like he has no value. He's tired of being treated like crap, by his own mother nonetheless. He tries really hard to keep his patience. "I told you, mom, I was at Starbucks." _With Ally_ , he mentally adds. Somehow he doesn't think his mom will be too impressed if she knew how much time he spent with Ally. "Why can't you just believe me?"

 _Smack!_

"DON'T TAKE THAT TONE WITH ME!"

He reels back, and desperately tries to compose himself-

 _Smack!_

"I DESERVE SOME GODDAMN RESPECT!"

Stunned still, he's curled up in a ball on the floor while Mimi kicks and punches and curses. He tries, he tries to speak, to yell, to scream, to do something but he just lays there. All that comes out his mouth are whimpers and groans. And just when he thinks she's going to stop, the pain comes back and consumes him.

He feels betrayed. How can someone who is supposed to love you hurt you so much?

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It continues, even after his father comes back. His mother makes sure to hurt Austin where nobody will see, not even his father. She always gives the excuse that she wouldn't have to harm him if he didn't get her mad. She always tells him not to tell his father.

And Austin? He bottles up his emotions.

After all, boys don't cry.

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They're in the practice room when it happens, just him and Ally.

"...so then I said, no way did she-" Austin watches as Ally's expression goes from enthused to horrified in a matter of seconds.

Austin knits his eyebrows together. "Ally, what's wrong?" She doesn't reply but instead steadily walks up to him. He's incredibly confused. "Ally, what-"

He gazes, transfixed as her hands gently lift up his shirt to reveal purple-ish blue bruises. Shit. Fuck. His shirt must have ridden up while she was talking. Ally gingerly uncovers a little bit more, gasping at his torso, riddled with purple.

Finally, she speaks, her voice think with emotion. "Austin...who did this to you?"

"Um...well...you see-" he begins, wanting to lie, wanting to escape the truth.

"Austin, please don't lie to me." Her eyes shine with unshed tears, and that is what does him in.

"M-my mom...she...she hits me."

Right there, Austin falls apart. The reality of the statement, actually admitting it to someone, gets to him. Every insult, every blow comes back to him and suddenly he's drowning. Ally holds him tight, and he clutches on even tighter, sobbing and blubbering while she comforts him, whispering what sounds like words of consolation. He can't stop, no matter how hard he tries and he's vaguely aware of the fact that her shirt is getting wet and dammit his nose is running and it's so gross and Ally probably thinks he's disgusting.

"I-I'm sorry...so...sorry..." he gasps out, between lungfuls of breath.

"Shhhh...it's okay Austin. It's not your fault."

"You-You really think so?"

"Yes."

"...thank you."

"...are you gonna tell Trish and Dez?"

He doesn't answer. She doesn't push.

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When he tells Trish and Dez, their reactions are unexpected. Trish -who is not big on physical contact- gives him a bone-crushing hug. Dez is uncharacteristically silent while he joins in.

It still feels like hell when she beats him. And Austin knows he can overpower her, that he can defend himself but he can't ever bring himself to. He's so confused.

He wants to hate her, but whenever he tries to, he's reminded of all those times his mother has been caring and kind. Like when he was nine and he had fallen sick his mom had stayed awake all night and tended to his every need. Or all those times they had gone to the park together. And then he feels guilty for even _thinking_ about hating her because she's his mom, no matter how she treats him.

After all, families are supposed to stick together right? Because if they don't have each other, who do they have?

He tells Dez about how he feels guilty about hating her mom.

"I don't think you should feel guilty." Dez replies, his face void of his usual happy go lucky expression.

Austin scrunches his face. "Really? But she's my mom!"

"Well...but here's the thing. Whatever she's doing to you is not acceptable. Mother or not, it's totally fine to hate her, even just a little, for what she's doing to you." Dez glances over at his best friend. "I know it might be hard, because we are always taught that family is important. It feels wrong to hate a family member."

It's the best piece of wisdom anyone has given him. Ever.

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After much hesitation and encouragement from his three closest friends, he's going to do something he never would have thought he would have done. He's going to tell his dad.

It's now or never. His mother is out with her friends and he and his dad are alone. Mike is watching football when he finds him, and he almost doesn't want to say anything, doesn't want to ruin his day.

As cliche as it sounds, his heart pounds in his chest and his hands are trembling from nervousness.

"Hey Dad?" Austin timidly calls out.

Mike mutes the tv and turns to face Austin, who is now moving to sit beside him. "Yes, Austin?"

"I...I don't now how to tell you this."

Mike looks confused. What could his son possibly have to say to him? He's never looked so pale. "You can tell me anything, Austin. Take your time, I'm in no rush."

If Austin's heart was pounding before, it was now trying to beat right out of his chest. His palms get clammy and he breaks out into a cold sweat. "I...mom-she...she hits me when you're not around. And...and I'm sorry I kept it from you but she told me not to tell and I was lost for the longest time and tried to keep it to myself because I thought I could handle it." His gaze drops to their feet, not wanting to see his fathers reaction.

When he looks back up, Mike has a horrified expression on his face.

"How...what...where?"

Austin lifts up his shirt to reveal part of his stomach. Mike's fingers hover over his bruises, afraid to touch. Tears fill Mike's eyes.

Austin had never seen his father cry, not until then.

"Oh my God Austin. I...I should have noticed...I..." Mike's jaw clenches as he looks into his son's eyes.

"No Dad," Austin chokes out, his face now wet. "I kept it from you, I-I should've told you before."

Mike couldn't bear to see Austin in so much pain. He pulls Austin into a hug, and they both break down together.

"It's okay," Mike says through sobs. "I've got you now. I won't let anybody hurt you anymore."

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 **I know it's incredibly cruel to end it off here, but if you guys really wanted I can make an epilogue. I originally planned to have Auslly in the end (because otp) but only if you guys want me to. I know there isn't much emphasis on the friendship between Ally, Trish, Dez and Austin but you can't have everything right? But if I did add in the extra chapter, it would have more mention of the other three.**

 **So if you want an epilogue or something, just let me know.**

 **Again, I would love feedback because this is the first time I've tried something like this.**


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